Whoever Said It'd Be Easy
by saywhat
Summary: Things between Ellie and Craig have been great for a long time. But something will happen that sends everything spinning out of control. Can they really support each other or will their own problems drive them apart?SEQUEL TO I'LL STAND BY YOU
1. Moving In

**A Few Notes: The original story, "I'll Stand By You" was started right after Voices Carry aired. So basically any events that happened afterward that don't fit my plots, didn't happen in my stories. Also, you don't have to have read the other one in order to understand this one as I will briefly recap it in some way throughout the story. But if you want, you can read it:-)**

**Sorry it took so long for this sequel but I've been super busy with school and stuff and haven't got a chance to write. Hopefully my updates won't be too few and far between. **

**O and also, I don't know if there is an actual University of Toronto, but this is just one I made up for story purposes.**

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The weight was too heavy and Ellie knew she couldn't manage it. She had struggled and tried her best but she just wasn't strong enough. She was falling and she knew it. 

"Whoa." Strong hands pressed against her back, keeping her from falling head over heels down the stairs. Then they came around her to take the heavy box from her arms.

"What were you trying to do, join the box gymnastics team?" Craig asked Ellie with a teasing grin on his face, a hint of amusement in his blue eyes.

"As a matter of fact, I was," Ellie replied breathlessly. "You ruined my perfect dismount."

Craig squeezed past her to continue up the stairs and paused to brush her cheek with his lips. "Maybe next time."

Ellie watched him go up the stairs with a small smile on her lips then headed back down to the first floor.

They were moving into an apartment together, just a few minutes away from the University of Toronto. They had been talking about it since sophomore year of college and now a year later,Ellie was excited that it was actually happening. She was pretty much excited about every aspect of their relationship. She still couldn't believe that their four year anniversary was today. Certainly when they started dating back at the beginning of their senior year of high school, she had had high hopes for the relationship, but it was still overwhelming that they had lasted this long. Sure they had their difficulties here and there—while Craig's bipolar was pretty much under control, there were some days where Ellie had a hard time dealing with his mood swings. But overall, everything was just about as close to perfect as she had imagined it could be. It almost made her a little nervous, as if something could go wrong at any moment.

"Hello Mrs. Manning—oh I mean Miss Nash," a familiar voice called out to her. Ellie smiled upon seeing Marco strolling across the the lobby. He also attended the university with them and the three of them spent time together often.

"Hey," she said. "Come to help us move in? Or just to make fun of us?"

"Can't I do both?" He came over and gave her a quick hug.

"How was you fabulous summer in New York?" Ellie asked.

"Amazing of course. That internship was unbelievable. I never realized how much there was to advertising." Marco grinned. "Not to mention—tons of cute guys in that city."

"Hey don't tell her that, you'll put ideas in her head," Craig said, coming down the stairs. He gave Marco a pat on the back. "Glad you've come to help us out what with all the moving Ellie isn't doing."

"Hey," Ellie said indignantly. "Aren't you supposed to be the macho man?" She playfully squeezed his bicep. "Then again…"

Craig wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close. "I'll show you how strong I can be…" He leaned in close with a pseudo angry look on his face then planted a gentle kiss on her nose.

Marco rolled his eyes. "You guys do realize that if I vomit on this carpet your landlord will probably evict you guys."

Just then Mr. Nash walked in with the last box followed closely by Mrs. Nash carrying a small potted plant.

"Just a little housewarming gift I picked up down the street," Mrs. Nash said with a smile.

"Thanks," Craig said cheerfully as he took it from her hands. "I love plants!"

Ellie rolled her eyes at him then walked over to her parents. "Thanks for helping us move in. I think the three of us can handle these last few boxes."

"Are you sure?" Mrs. Nash persisted. "It wouldn't really be any trouble for us to help with these…"

"Mom," Ellie said firmly. "Thanks but we got it."

Mr. Nash smiled down at his daughter. "Your mother got a little teary when she was picking out the plant."

"Well it's just that…I feel like we're moving you into college all over again. I mean, getting your own apartment is a huge next step in your life." She stroked Ellie's hair with a smile. "Hard to let go." She took a deep breath. "But I know I have to."

Ellie reached up to give her mother a hug. "I'm not that far away. You can visit whenver you want." She paused. "Just, um, not too often okay?"

"I didn't hear that last part," her mother replied.

Ellie smiled and felt an unusual surge of affection for the woman. She was certaintly proud of her mother that was for sure. She had been sober for over four years now and showed no signs of going back to the person she had been.

"Love you Mom," Ellie murmured before pulling away.

"You too, honey."

After exchanging goodbyes with her father, they finally left.

"Okay, why don't you two head on up," Marco said. "I'll get this last box."

"That's silly we can all go up together," Ellie replied, confused.

Marco widened his eyes at her then nodded his head towards something behind her. She turned slowly to see a handsome young man standing by the mailboxes. Ellie turned back to Marco and he wiggled his eyebrows.

Craig grinned knowingly. "We'll see you up there." He grabbed Ellie's hand and pulled her away. They walked up the stairs hand in hand until they reached the room. Ellie started to go in but Craig grabbed her shoulders.

"Wait." He bent down then hoisted her up into his arms. "Let's do it right."

Ellie smiled as he carried her across the threshold. He stood there for a moment and they both looked around taking everything in. The place was a small one bedroom apartment with a tiny bathroom and kitchen but it was clean and Ellie thought it was absolutely perfect. After a minute, Craig set her down gently. She looked up at him but he was still staring at some point on the wall. She saw glinting in his eyes but he blinked quickly and looked down at her.

"Are you okay?" she asked worriedly.

Craig nodded quickly, flashing a quick smile. "Yeah, of course." He kissed the top of her head. "Everything's perfect."

"Are you sure?" she pressed.

He nodded. "Yeah. I'm just nervous about tonight."

"What's to be nervous about tonight? I thought we were just going out to dinner."

Craig nodded quickly. "Yeah we are. I just meant nervous about moving in and everything."

Marco came into the room just then. He held up a piece of paper with a phone number scrawled on it. "Success!"

Craig moved over to congratulate his friend. He sent a grin in Ellie's direction then relieved Marco of the box he had been holding.

Ellie smiled back at him but she couldn't help but feel as though a dark cloud had settled into the blue sky the day had been.

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**Kinda short, but I'll hopefullyupdate soon! Leave reviews!**


	2. Settling

Most of the rest of the day was spent unpacking as much as they could. The three of them managed to get most of the boxes done and only a few remained when Marco left that evening. There were clothes and other items all over the place, but Ellie had put a few picture frames on the dresser, their toothbrushes in the bathroom, and the plant on the windowsill and it already felt more like home.

"Did you finish registering for classes?" Craig asked Ellie as they got ready to go out that evening.

"Yeah I got into Professor Lannigan's journalism class," Ellie replied, stepping into a long black dress. "I hear students in his class get a lot of the internships even at the big news stations."

"That's great." Craig pulled on a navy sports jacket. "I can see it now, 'Ellie Nash: Investigative Reporter'. Uncovering dirt all over Toronto. With your own cheesy billboard and everything."

Ellie smiled. "And what about Craig Manning? You have to declare your major this year, you know."

"I know, I know. It's just a tough decision. I've pretty much got it narrowed down to teaching music or just majoring in music and trying to make it big." He shrugged. "Not gonna be able to support a family on just trying to break into the business though." He paused. "I mean, you know, whenever that is. In the future." He cleared his throat. "I mean, I like working with Joey and all for now, and it makes enough to pay the rent, but as much as it'll break his heart, I don't want to run the car lot for the rest of my life."

Ellie nodded, rubbing his arm. "I know you don't. You just need to do whatever you think will make you happiest."

"How much money does being happy make?" Craig replied wryly. "Are you ready to go?"

Ellie put on some dark red lipstick then nodded. The two of them left and headed down the hall. As they were walking down the stairs, Ellie heard something clunk and fall down the stairs ahead of her.

"What was that?" she said.

"Oh I just dropped something," Craig said quickly. "I got it."

"Oh it's right here." Ellie bent down to pick up the object. It was a small gray box, no larger than the palm of her hand. "What's this?"

"Oh it's nothing, I'll take it." Craig reached for it but before he could close his hand around it, Ellie opened it.

The diamond ring was so brilliant she could still make it out plainly from the dark landing they were standing on. Her breath caught in her throat and her heartbeat increased two fold. "Craig…"

Craig quickly took the box from her. "Well I was gonna do it at the restaurant, but of course I managed to drop it in front of you." He sighed.

"Craig…are you asking me to marry you?" Ellie blurted out.

Craig smiled hesitantly. "Maybe." He took a shaky deep breath. "I know we haven't really discussed this and we're still in college and all but I still want to know that in the future, even, in the way distant future, that you'll be there with me. That sarcastic, fun, individual, wonderful, beautiful Ellie Nash will be with the insanely lucky Craig forever." He looked at her with wide earnest eyes, the moonlight filtering in from a small high window making them gleam.

Ellie looked away, unsure of what to say. She certainly hadn't been expecting this. The Beatles greatest hits CD she had been wanting, maybe. A million questions flooded her mind at that moment. Did she really want to be with Craig for the rest of her life? Did she love him enough to want to be there through thick and thin? To make this kind of commitment? To pledge her love to him and be sure it would never wane or fade?

One word came to mind as an answer to all these questions and she said it aloud. "Yes."

Craig's eyebrows shot up as though he hadn't expected the answer he received. "I'm sorry, I'm a little hard of hearing can you repeat that for me?"

Ellie grinned. "I said yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes."

A small smile spread across Craig's face. "Yes? Really?"

Ellie laughed. "Accept it before I change my mind." His arms came around her waist, lifting her into the air for a long embrace. She pressed her lips against his for a deep kiss before he set her down on the floor. He knelt in front of her on one knee, grinning broadly then took her extended hand and slid the ring on. Ellie leaned in to look at it closer. It was a silver band with two tiny diamonds on either side of a larger one in the middle.

"It's beautiful," she said as he got to his feet. "I love it. And you of course."

"I love you more."

Ellie wrinkled her nose as they continued down the stairs. "Just because we're engaged, doesn't mean we start that mushy talk."

"Engaged," Craig said, sounding a bit dazed. "You know I thought about this a lot but I still couldn't have imagined this feeling."

"How do you feel?" Ellie asked as he opened the door to her and they stepped out onto the street.

"Like…like I have something to look forward to. Everyday. For the rest of my life. No more gloomy days." Craig smiled down at her. "Everything is ahead of me."

Ellie smiled back up at him. "Yeah I get what you mean. Like you've been hungry all your life and now you have this whole table food in front of you."

Craig rubbed his stomach as they walked to his car. "Mmm food. You know, I am glad I got it over with because I was so nervous I probably wouldn't have been able to eat. And this restaurant we're going to rocks."

Ellie climbed into the car and as she sat down, she couldn't help but start to imagine their wedding. She had never really been the kind of girl to think about the event, but now that it was a reality, she couldn't help it. It would be a small occasion, nothing too fancy. Craig in a nice black tuxedo, yet still managing to look a bit disheveled like he always did. Herself in a long simple white gown walking down the aisle with her father. Her mother beaming at them from the front row, Joey on the opposite side with a camcorder. Marco would probably be Craig's best man. Ellie wondered if Ashley would be interested in being her maid of honor. The girl was still one of her closest friends, even though she had gone to school a few hours away. Ellie had been the maid of honor at Ashley's wedding as well. They kept in close contact and visited each other often. Her husband, Peter, even came occasionally. The four of them had gone out a few times and surprisingly, it hadn't been awkward.

What else? Angela would be too old to be the flower girl. Maybe her baby cousin would be old enough by then…

"El?"

Ellie started and she realized that they were driving. She hadn't even noticed Craig start the car. "Yeah?"

"Your phone was ringing."

"Oh." Ellie bent down to pick up her purse. She flipped it open. The screen told her she had one missed call from the Nash residence. "It was my parents. Probably my mom wanting to know if she could come by and visit."

Craig chuckled. "It's sweet." He turned the car into a small parking lot. "Well we're here now, so I guess you can give them a call tomorrow."

Ellie hesitated before putting her phone back into her bag. For some reason she felt a bit uneasy about waiting to call back. Then she shook it off as Craig opened the door for her and reached out his hand. She took it and looking into his eyes, her worry melted away. How could she worry about anything on a night like this? Besides she was sure it was nothing.

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**I'll have the next chapter up soon! Keep on reviewing please!**


	3. Dark Cloud

Craig felt warm sunshine on his face, rousing him from a light sleep. He had barely slept a wink the night before, but somehow, he didn't mind waking up at that moment.

Rolling over, he faced Ellie who was still asleep, her hand tucked up under her cheek, her red hair fanned out on the pillow beside her. Craig propped his head up on his hand, staring at her for a while before getting up. He stood up and stretched, staring out the window. The remnants of the sunrise were still visible, a hint of pink lingering above the blue of the new sky. Craig felt his mind flash back to a few weeks ago. He and Ellie had gone on a day trip to a specialty furniture store a few hours away to find some new pieces for their apartment. After having a difficult but amusing time fitting their new coffee table into the car, they headed back early in the evening. Craig had been driving for a while, and felt his eyelids growing heavy. He turned to ask Ellie if she could take over driving but saw that she had fallen asleep. And without even thinking twice, he stayed awake and alert the rest of the drive home. When he was driving along a narrow tree-lined road, he had caught a glimpse of the sunset peeking through the trees. The various colors came through the spaces between the branches creating a beautiful array on the dashboard. And he realized that he was ready. Ready to not only drive the rest of the way home so as not to wake her from Ellie sleep, but to do everything else for her too. Work every day of his life to provide a comfortable life for her. Support her in whatever decisions she makes. Hold her when the unimaginable happens. Just be there every day. He was ready to ask her to marry him.

And then he had whispered, "I love you" to her as he drove slowly through that seemingly enchanted street. He swore he heard her whisper it back even though she didn't remember when he inquired later. But it didn't matter because he knew she felt it. He had just hoped she felt it as much as he did.

And now as he stood in their apartment, he finally had the answer to that question. He basked in the comforting knowledge that he would never be without Ellie again for a minute longer before getting washed and dressed. When he emerged from the bathroom Ellie was stirring in bed. Craig sat down beside her.

"Ellie it's four PM you have to get up now," Craig said in an urgent voice.

Ellie's eyes snapped open and she sat up so quickly, Craig had to move his head out of the way to avoid a collision. "What? Why didn't you wake me up?"

Craig laughed as Ellie looked at the clock. She rolled her eyes and lightly smacked his arm. "Jeez, give me a heart attack why don't you? I have to register for classes at noon."

"It's only eight," Craig said. "Go back to sleep for a little while. I'll wake you up in time."

"I don't think I trust you," Ellie replied wryly. "Besides I'm already wide awake now." She stretched and Craig's heart lurched a little when the light caught the ring on her left hand.

He leaned forward and gave her a quick peck on the lips. "I'm gonna make us a special newly engaged couple breakfast." He went into the kitchen as Ellie got ready. After searching for a little bit, he found a pan and spatula. He rummaged through the refrigerator and took out eggs, cheese, and bacon to make Ellie's favorite breakfast foods.

As the bacon started the sizzle, the phone rang. Craig heard the shower running and hurried to answer it. He managed to snatch it up by the fourth ring but whoever called had hung up.

"We really need to get an answering machine!" Craig called towards the bathroom.

"Or you just need to get to the phone quicker," Ellie retorted.

Craig smiled and shook his head. Just as he was walking back to the kitchen, the phone rang again. This time he snatched it up right away. "Hello?"

"Hey, Craig, it's Joey."

"Oh hey." Craig cradled the cordless phone between his ear and shoulder as he walked back into the kitchen. "Did you just call?"

"Uh, no. Anyway, how'd the move in go?"

"Good."

There was a long pause. "Craig, aren't you going to tell me? Did you ask? Did she say yes? Don't leave me in suspense, please."

Craig laughed. "Yes I did. And yes she said yes. We're engaged."

"Congratulations!" came Joey's elated voice through the phone. "That's great!"

"Yeah, I'm pretty psyched," Craig replied, fiddling with the spatula.

"I knew she'd say yes. You had nothing to worry about. How about I take you two out to dinner to celebrate tonight?"

"Um, sure," Craig replied. "Maybe Ellie can invite her parents too. Kind of an in-law getting to know each other thing. You guys only met that one time at her birthday party last year."

"Yeah sounds like a good idea."

They went through the rest of the arrangements for a few more minutes before Craig finally hung up. He heard the bathroom door open and Ellie came out in a robe, her hair glistening with water droplets. "That was Joey?"

"Yeah. Listen, when you're done can you give your parents a call? We're all going to go out to dinner tonight."

Ellie rolled her eyes. "Um, do you really think that's a good idea? Do we have to do it so soon?" She pulled out a pair of pants from a half empty suitcase. "I mean they have plenty of time to get to know each other."

"What are you nervous about? They got along fine last time they met. I'm sure there's nothing to worry about."

Ellie looked at him for a minute, then nodded. "I guess you're right." She paused. "Joey likes me, right?"

Craig nodded slowly. "Yes of course he does, you know that. Why are you so worried about this stuff all of a sudden?"

Ellie shrugged as she pulled a t-shirt over her head. "Because it's just so much more important now, you know? It's just different now. Everything's different."

Craig came to stand in front of her and put his hand on her cheek. "I know. But you don't need to worry. Really." He planted a soft kiss on her lips. "Now, while I take my meds, can you please call your parents?"

Ellie nodded. "Fine."

Craig handed her the phone before going into the bathroom. He filled up a small cup of water then took his pills out of the medicine cabinet and carefully took one out.

After he was done and emerged from the bathroom, Ellie was sitting on the bed with her back to him.

"What'd they say?" Craig came to stand in front of her and saw the phone in her lap, her head down. "Did you even call?" Ellie looked up at him finally and he saw the look on her face. "What happened? What's wrong?"

"It's my mom." A tear slipped out of her eye down her face to her trembling chin.

Craig immediately wrapped his arms around her as she stood up and through her tears she managed to tell him that her mother was in the hospital due to sudden liver failure. Craig promised her he would drive her there as soon as she wanted to. His heart ached for her and with every gasp for breath she took, he wished he could make everything all better and vowed to do whatever he could to help her through the situation.

The arid smell of Ellie's favorite breakfast burning wafted in through the living room as he held her.

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**Next chapter will be up soon. Please leave reviews thanks!**


	4. Waiting

**Okay so I know I haven't updated this story in decades and I'm REALLY sorry but I was busy with finals and then coming home and working...but now I'm back in writing mode, ready to continue the Craig/Ellie saga. I hope everyone forgives me and continues reading/reviewing. :-)**

**Oh and I know this chapter is kinda short but I just wanted to get the ball rolling. **

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Craig hated waiting rooms. He had spent what felt like a lifetime in them when he was younger and his mom was fighting the cancer. He had been in one for several hours when his father died. He just despised the atmosphere, knowing how many people had waited in here before him, for good news, for bad news, for any news at all.

Now he sat by himself waiting for Ellie who had gone inside her mother's room with her father. They had only been gone for about fifteen minutes but Craig had already flipped nervously through four magazines before giving up and staring at the wall, trying not to think about anything. Trying not to think about how perfect things had seemed before and how quickly life could be turned upside down.

The doors to the emergency room opened and a doctor came out to walk over to a middle aged woman and a girl who looked a few years younger than Craig. They had been sitting across the waiting room and the woman immediately jumped to her feet upon seeing the doctor. He talked to them in hushed tones but Craig could see by the expression on the woman's face that it wasn't good news. She looked as if she was about to faint before starting to cry. The younger girl just sat frozen in her chair, tears brimming in her eyes. Her eyes met Craig's and he quicky looked away, feeling the girl's apparent pain start to pierce him.

Craig really hated waiting rooms.

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As Ellie sat beside her mother's bed with her father behind her, a million thoughts flooded her brain. She shook her head, trying to clear them away, keep them hidden in the recesses of her mind. She felt her father's hand on her shoulder and she placed her own hand on top of it. Still she kept her eyes on her mother's still form on the bed and wondered why things happened when they did. Why whoever it was that made these things happen always timed it with such irony.

"She's gonna be asleep for quite a while honey," Mr. Nash spoke suddenly. "But the doctors said the surgery went well. We just have to wait and see what happens when she wakes up. Why don't you have Craig take you home and get some rest? I'll call you as soon as I know anything."

Ellie shook her head. "No way can I possibly leave. I want to be here when she wakes up."

Mr. Nash nodded. "Okay. But at least let Craig know what's going on. He's probably dyin—curious to know." He cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"Okay." Ellie gave her mother's hand a gentle squeeze before getting up and going out into the waiting area. Upon seeing her, Craig immediately stood up and hurried over.

"How is she?" he asked, his brows knitted together, resting a comforting hand on her arm.

"She's doing okay, The surgery went fine but they're just waiting for her to wake up now." Ellie took a deep breath, trying to get her emotions under control.

"That's good," Craig replied. "Surgery is the biggest hurdle. She'll recover just fine."

Ellie just nodded. "Um, I think I need some fresh air."

Craig took her hand. "Yeah I think that would do you good."

"Um…" Ellie gently tugged her hand free. "I just need a minute alone. Please."

Craig's eyebrows raised slightly. "Oh. Uh, sure, no problem. I'll just wait here."

Ellie smiled slightly at him before going through the automatic doors and into the warm summer air. It was a muggy day, the air heavy with hints of rain to come soon. There were only a few clouds in the sky but they were dark and thick. When the rain did come, it was going to come fast and furious.

She walked slowly along the front of the building, her arms crossed over her chest, a shield protecting her from…something she did not even know. All she knew was that she couldn't let it in, couldn't let it consume her.

She didn't want to know what would happen if it did.


	5. Sinking Slowly

It was over an hour before Ellie finally came back inside. However, instead of coming back into the waiting area, she stopped by the doors. Craig stood up slowly and made his way over to her.

"I was just about to come look for you," Craig told her. He put an arm around her waist and led her over to where he had been sitting.

"Why?" Ellie asked dully.

Craig paused, not expecting this response. "Well because you were gone for a while and I wanted to see if you were okay."

"Well I am. Obviously."

Craig slowly moved his arm from where it had been resting on the back of Ellie's chair to his lap. He told himself that she was only acting like this because she was upset but it still stung a little. "Okay. Um, so your dad came out while you were gone, just a few minutes ago. He went to go get us some coffee."

"Did he say anything about my mom?" Ellie asked, sitting up slightly straighter.

Craig shook his head. "No change."

Ellie slumped back in her seat.

Before Craig could say anything further, Mr. Nash came into the waiting area carrying a tray of steaming cups.

"Oh, Ellie you're back," he said, handing them each a cup. "I just spoke with the doctor again. He said that she's not expected to wake up until tomorrow morning. You two might as well head on home. I'll give you a call tomorrow morning."

"That sounds a like a good idea," said Craig, pulling out his car keys. "We can get some rest and come back refreshed tomorrow." He stood up but Ellie stayed put.

"Why don't you want me to stay?" Ellie asked her father accusingly. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Of course not, honey," replied Mr. Nash, sending a quick glance Craig's way. "I just don't see any reason why you should stay here tonight."

"Well if you're staying then I am too," Ellie said defiantly.

"I'm sure Craig wants to get home and get some sleep," Mr. Nash said hesitantly.

Ellie looked up at Craig. "You can go home if you want, that's fine." She stood up. "I'll be in my mother's room." She walked away and Mr. Nash and Craig looked at each other.

"Can't ever say she doesn't have a mind of her own," Mr. Nash said wryly.

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Craig opened the door to the apartment and stood in the doorway for a second. It was dark but the shade was still wide open from when they hurriedly left that morning. The moonlight from the window on the boxes they still had yet to unpack cast eerie shadows everywhere.

Craig stepped inside, tossed his jacket onto a nearby crate then slammed the door angrily behind himself. He didn't care that it was late. He didn't care if their landlord would be upset. He just didn't care about anything at the moment. Besides Ellie.

Throwing himself onto the couch, Craig ran his hands through his hair, letting out a sigh of frustration. He didn't know what to say or do to make her feel better. He felt completely helpless, a feeling he couldn't stand yet felt way too often.

After a minute he got up and went over to the phone. He picked up the receiver and had gotten to the fourth number before pausing and hanging up. He didn't want to talk to Joey right now. The low he was feeling right now was made worse by how perfect his life had been just a few hours ago. Nothing anyone could say would be able to lift his spirits.

_I want to be there for her so badly,_ he thought desperately. _Why won't she let me? Why can't I be the strong one just this once?_ He clenched his hands into fists. _Why am I so useless?_ He brought a fist down hard onto the nightstand. The lamp tottered and fell over with a crash. The sound brought a strange sense of satisfaction to Craig. He slowly bent over to pick it up. There was a long jagged crack down the side of the porcelain. He ran his finger down the length of it slowly before raising the lamp and hurling it against the floor. This time the blow was more effective. It broke into several pieces, the metal skittering across the floor and coming to rest a few feet away. Glass from the bulb was mingled with the white porcelain pieces. The base of the lamp was the only part that remained intact.

_That was our only lamp_. The thought occurred to Craig suddenly. He had to fix it before Ellie found out.

Fumbling in the dark, he picked up the base and set it on the table. Then he bent to pick up the pieces that were on the floor. It wasn't until he had placed them all on the nightstand that he saw the blood on his hands. He hadn't even realized the porcelain had been cutting into his skin until he saw it and then the pain kicked in.

"What am I doing?" he whispered out loud, standing up. He hurried to the bathroom and washed his hands then stared at himself in the mirror. How was he expecting to be able to be there for Ellie when he couldn't even keep himself together?


	6. Harsh News

**Sorry for the lack of updating on this story in...wow a year exactly. Life got away from me, what can I say? I got caught up in other writing projects and haven't had time to even watch Degrassi, let alone write about it. Now that it's summer and I started watching again, I realized that I wanted to write more to this. I don't know if anyone is still reading it or remembers it but hopefully someone will read...**

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Craig awoke the next morning, his hands still stinging from the cuts. He had fallen asleep on the couch after cleaning up the mess he had made. He sat up slowly, his temples pounding, the light piercing his eyes. When he finally gathered his thoughts, the first thing that came to mind was Ellie. Sitting up with a wince he reached for the phone. He dialed Ellie's cell phone. When there was no answer he tried the hospital.

"Hi I'm looking for Ellie Nash. Her mother is a patient in ICU. This is her, um, fiance, Craig."

The receptionist who answered the phone placed him on hold for a minute before coming back on the line. "We were unable to locate her but her father is here. Would you like to speak with him?"

"Yes please."

Mr. Nash came on the phone a minute later. "Craig?"

"Hi. How is…everything?"

Mr. Nash took a deep breath. "Not good, Craig. Not good."

* * *

Ellie awoke that morning with a painful ache of her own, her's in her neck from her slumped position on the chair in the hospital waiting room. She shifted and realized that her father must have laid his jacket over her sometime during the night. She opened her eyes carefully and squinted as she looked around the room. Her father was nowhere in sight. She guessed he was either getting them some breakfast or in her mother's room.

She sat up and stretched, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Picking up her father's jacket, she stood up and went down the hall towards her mother's room. She peered though the window, seeing that her mother was the room's only occupant. She knocked gently before pushing the door open and stepping inside. The room was dimly lit, the curtains still drawn. The only sound was the steady beeping of the heart monitor and the sound of Ellie's boots on the tile. She turned around to gently close the door and when she turned back, her mother's eyes were open.

"Hi honey," Mrs. Nash said in a hoarse whisper.

"Hi," Ellie replied after a moment of surprised silence. She slowly came over to the side of the bed. "H-how are you feeling?"

"Okay. Where's your father?"

"I don't know. He was gone when I woke up."

Mrs. Nash nodded. "Did you talk to any doctors?"

Ellie shook her head slowly. "No, not today. Why?" She felt her mother take her hand and dreaded what was coming.

"Ellie…"

"What, Mom? What is it?"

Mrs. Nash smiled slightly. "You've gotten so beautiful."

Ellie felt her chest tighten. "Mom, please...just tell me."

"The surgery that they did yesterday…" Mrs. Nash paused as the effort to speak was obviously taking its toll on her. "It was unsuccessful."

"What do you mean it was unsuccessful?"

"Well without all the technical doctor babble…my body can't accept a new liver." Mrs. Nash put her other hand over her daughter's, tears glistening in her eyes.

"Wh-what…what does that mean?" Ellie asked in a tiny voice.

"It means…" Mrs. Nash took a deep breath and looked away. "We need to say goodbye."

* * *

**Short but a pivotal moment nonetheless. I hope my updates will be quick (less than a year in between this time!) but I'm not sure when the next one will be up. In the meantime let me know if you're still reading and enjoying!**  



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